One Thing is For Sure
by whyttnaysmith
Summary: Blaine Anderson is a photographer studying in Chicago, Illinois. While shooting for a project, he snaps a picture of a beautiful boy that he desperately needs to find, who happens to be the same boy building up the courage to talk to him. Rated T for language.
1. Chapter 1

Blaine cupped his hands tightly around his cup of coffee, holding the steam under his nose to warm up. He adored Chicago, except for the winters. But honestly, it was a little price to pay to be in one of the most beautiful places in the country. He was truly blessed to be attending Columbia College, majoring in his biggest passion.

He was a photographer; film being his favorite type. Though he wasn't opposed to going digital, seeing as it was becoming harder and harder to find equipment, not to mention finding a way to develop his pictures after he'd graduated. He'd have to go digital if he wanted to survive in the profession.

Right now, he had an assignment to tackle. _People in action_. He'd already gotten a roll each of people entering and leaving the Red Line and the El, on their way to the tall, beautiful office buildings, and back home to the slightly unkempt apartments. Now, he decided to snap as many pictures as he could of people just passing by on the street, beginning with the coffee shop near his place.

He set the thin cardboard cup down on the sidewalk next to him while he adjusted the film speed and shutter settings on his ancient camera. After checking for how much time he had before class, he began snapping picture after picture of people walking by him. The shots seemed to just appear in front of him; a mother and daughter hurrying through the street to day care, a businessman in a freshly dry-cleaned suit sloshing carefully through the snow, people struggling to parallel park on the curb.

The camera clicked a few minutes later, letting Blaine know that the roll had finished and he needed to rewind it. A satisfied, excited smile settled on the boy's face as he twisted the lever on the top of his camera, feeling the resistance tug on the silver handle until it suddenly released. He shivered slightly, mostly from the cold, but he loved knowing that he had finished another set of pictures and created works of art that he could share with the world. It was a kind of accomplishment he would never be able to find anywhere else.

Blaine popped the back of his camera open to take the film canister out, stuffing it into its container and into his bag. It was such a great start to his day to have a roll finished before class even started, which reminded him that he needed to get to Michigan Ave._ right now_. He picked up his coffee and began jogging down the street, sloshing his feet through the dirty, gray snow while he headed to Columbia.


	2. Chapter 2

Kurt hummed gently along with the music playing through his headphones, becoming completely immersed in sewing his latest design. It was a way for him to relax, as well as what he wanted to do with his life, so moving to Chicago to attend Columbia had quickly become his dream. It wasn't New York or Paris, but Chicago was definitely very beautiful, and pretty fashion-forward in its own right.

He heard his professor begin to speak, the voice muffled by his music.

"Guys, I'd like to introduce you to the photographer for your new designs," the woman announced. Kurt ignored her at first; he wouldn't even be in contact with the cameraman, only sending models out from their dressing room and staying hidden away. He let out a small sigh and glanced up, only for a moment, before he looked back down. His eyes suddenly widened, head shooting back up to look at the boy standing next to his professor. Oh, _wow_.

The boy was definitely Kurt's age, perfect, tanned skin even in the middle of winter. His hair was gelled, but still showed signs of the curls that hid beneath, and he seemed to just radiate excitement. Kurt's eyebrows raised slightly, his eyes slowly raking up and down the boy.

His partially exposed chest was the first thing to catch Kurt's eye, showing through the unbuttoned portion of his striped shirt. A maroon cardigan covered him, tight enough to outline his arms and show off every muscle. _Wow_.

"Hey, guys! My name's Blaine."

_Blaine_. Even his name was gorgeous. Kurt wanted to talk to him, to introduce himself and maybe flirt a little. But who was he kidding; not only was he incredibly awkward around boys, Blaine probably had a girlfriend. A lovely, beautiful photography major like him.

Kurt sighed sadly and looked over at Blaine again, seeing a group of girls crowding around the boy. His heart began to fall at how comfortable Blaine looked around them, definitely a ladies' man. He swiveled around in his chair to put his back to the front of the room, being a tad too harsh when he put his headphone back in his ear, the music drowning everything out once again.

_Don't get your hopes up, Kurt_, he thought. _He's not worth it._


	3. Chapter 3

Blaine took a deep breath, wrinkling his nose slightly at the smell of the developer he was working with. Even after all these years, working with the same chemicals, the smell of what he could only pin down as rotten eggs still bothered him. He'd gotten used to it, but it was mostly the fact that the smell stayed on his hands for hours after he was finished.

He'd finally gotten some time to develop his negatives from the day before, after sitting through another lecture on the proper use of lighting in a situation. He'd heard it all before, considering he's been using cameras since he was six. It was a passion he immediately fell in love with; the idea of capturing a beautiful moment or person was fascinating, and an art form he wanted to share with the world.

Blaine began humming to himself while he drained the developer out of his film tank, adding in the next chemical and turning it over in his hands to agitate it. This was the one process he didn't like; just _sitting_ here and turning something over for ten seconds every minute was boring and unnecessary, according to him. He grinned and beared it every time, though, because without this boring part of it, he wouldn't have negatives to work with in the first place.

It was finally time to look at the finished product, and Blaine couldn't keep himself from grinning widely as he unrolled the first few pictures from the metal spool they rested on. Success. The negatives were perfect, another project ready to be finished. After cutting the film into strips, he laid the film on a lit table, letting him see all of them at once.

Hold on. There was one picture that immediately caught his eye. A boy, looking around his age, with perfectly styled hair and a gorgeous, angular jawline. Blaine began scrambling, picking up the negative and his equipment for enlarging and printing, and hurried into the darkroom.

After messing around with the settings and focus, there it was. This boy, laid out on the size template as clear as Blaine could manage without actually printing. He couldn't believe that he'd captured someone who looked like _this_. The boy was gorgeous; blue eyes (Blaine guessed from how light they were on the film), amazing style, and a face that had to be paid attention to. How could he have missed him?

He shut the light off and just stood, staring at the wood of the table. Chicago was so big, so many people lived here and there was no guarantee that this boy even did. It was like something was coming over Blaine; he had to find him. Had to talk to him, introduce himself, figure out who he was and what brought him to the city.

The decision he came to was simple. Most people run routines around this city, especially if they live there. He'd hopefully find that boy around the same place, at the same time, even on the same day, if that's what it took. He sighed sadly, throwing his focus into printing this picture and making it his best work.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hi guys! I decided to break the every other day schedule and post today. I wanted to thank you for all the follows and reviews I've gotten. I've written fic loads before, but I've never posted a full and complete one, so this kind of encouragement is making me so happy and emotional. And want to write another one and get that going. Gaaah. Thank you! 3

* * *

"I don't see why you can't just talk to him," Rachel Berry, Kurt's best friend and roommate, as well as fellow fashion major, pointed out matter-of-factly as they walked along Michigan Avenue. Sure, they could've taken the bus, but it was actually nice in Chicago for the middle of the winter; the winds weren't that bad, and it wasn't snowing, so the temperatures were around the high-30s, if they were lucky. Not that it bothered them, since they were so keen on window shopping while they headed to class.

"It's not that simple," Kurt replied through a frustrated groan. "You're still awkward as hell around guys, but with me, it's a whole different level of humiliating."

Rachel rolled her eyes and pointed out a cute outfit worn by a mannequin, quickly fitting her arms around the boy's elbow to hold him close. "Look, Kurt, you'll never know anything about him unless you_ talk to him_."

"Rachel, I'm, like, the definition of awkward. I mean, look at me."

"You're hot," Rachel immediately countered. "If you were on my team, I'd be all over you."

Kurt glared over at the girl. "I've never talked to a boy like him before-"

"What, a photographer?"

"That _gorgeous_," Kurt trailed off with a dreamy sigh. "You've seen him."

"And he's a great guy." They slowed to a stop at the crosswalk between Michigan and Balbo, cars zooming by them constantly. "It's been three days, Kurt. You can't keep hiding in the corner and daydreaming."

The light changed, the familiar white man showing up on the other side of the street. Rachel began walking, her arm still locked with Kurt's, but was immediately pulled back by Kurt rooted to the spot.

"Kurt?"

"He's there." Kurt's eyes were trained on the window of the Starbucks across the street, seeing Blaine messing with his camera at a table. "Why is he there?"

"It's the only coffee shop close to Columbia," Rachel explained slowly, as if the answer was obvious. It was to everyone but Kurt. "Where else would he go?"

Kurt stayed frozen in place despite Rachel pulling on him again. "I can't go in there."

"What?" Rachel stopped pulling and just stared up at the slightly taller boy. "Why?"

"Because how in the hell am I supposed to even be _around_ him when all I can think about is kissing him senseless?"

"Aw, Kurt!"

"Rachel, not the time," Kurt grit through his teeth. He shook his head. "I'm just going to Columbia. I don't need coffee today."

"Fine, fine. You can't hide from this forever, darling!"

Kurt rolled his eyes as he jogged across the street, his bag smacking against his thigh while he moved. He kept his gaze pointed at the ground, not stopping until he was inside Columbia.

"Fuck," he whispered, slowing to a stop while he looked around the room. "What am I doing?" He shook his head again, running a hand through his hair and over his face before he began walking, not allowing himself to stop and think about this.


	5. Chapter 5

"Sam!" Blaine shouted before he had even finished unlocking the door to his apartment. "Sam, you'd better be awake."

"What, man? I didn't fuck anything up this time," Sam replied, glancing up from his sketchbook once he heard Blaine's clamoring footsteps come to a halt in front of him. "What's got your panties in a bunch?"

"Shut up. I have to show you something." Blaine dropped his bag from his shoulder and let it fall to his feet, immediately bending over to start digging through it. Sam raised an eyebrow, amused yet judgemental.

"Another masterpiece sure to make you a billionaire?"

"You're such an asshole. No. Well, maybe. It's who it's of." Blaine pulled out a piece of paper from a folder inside his bag, two regular sheets wide and two tall. "Do you have any idea who this is?"

Sam's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he looked at the paper in Blaine's hands. "I feel really out of the loop. Is it someone famous and I'm just an idiot?"

Blaine groaned. "Think about this, Sam. What famous person would walk around the streets of Chicago when the weather's like this?"

"Panties are definitely in a bunch," Sam mumbled, holding his hands up in surrender when Blaine's glare intensified. "Sorry, sorry." He really looked at the picture, the light eyes and pale skin against the snowy background of the city. "No, I can't say I know him. Why?"

Blaine's shoulders fell as he frowned. "Figured. I need to find this guy."

"Wait, why? Did he take your shit or something?"

"No, nothing like that. I... He's fascinating. I want to _know_ him. Discover things about him. K-"

"Kiss those chapped lips?" Sam asked before bracing himself for Blaine to start throwing things. Blaine simply glared, holding this print like it was the most coveted thing in the world.

"Isn't he gorgeous, though?"

"Blaine, I love you to death and I've known you since we were in diapers, but why the hell do you keep asking me that? _Chicks_, dude. I'll leave the dick to you."

Blaine's expression began to change, showing he was fed up with the conversation and pretty annoyed with Sam by now. He scoffed and rolled his eyes, turning on his heel to begin storming off to his room.

"Blaine," Sam shouted after the boy, waiting until Blaine turned around to continue. "I really do hope you find him, though. You deserve to find a guy. Go get him, tiger."


	6. Chapter 6

Kurt's breath puffed in front of him while he tried to huddle farther inside his jacket. Fuck Chicago weather. How was it so cold? He shook his head in disappointment and began walking across the street, once again going to Columbia.

Sometimes he wondered how he managed to fall into this routine; waking up, showering, getting dressed, braving the cold to get to the Starbucks next to Columbia, heading there, then work, and back home. It was the sort of thing he hated in high school, and yet, here, in this beautiful city, he didn't seem to mind it as much.

He arrived outside of Starbucks before he really knew it, having to stop and laugh to himself at the realization. More routine; going in and getting the same coffee, same breakfast, same everything, and moving on. The only time his routine changed was when he saw Blaine outside Starbucks or outside Columbia. And he knew it was getting ridiculous, avoiding a boy he had a crush on. It was childish, and he was far above that, but he didn't know what else to do. If by some miracle Blaine _did_ talk to him, he'd just start speaking gibberish and it'd get awkward and then he'd be purposely ignored. Better to avoid him now and maybe build up the courage, right?

A decision like this shouldn't be as hard as Kurt was making it, and he knew that well. There were other guys in the world; if he let this one get away he'd find someone just as handsome and artistic. Hopefully.

Blaine wasn't worth it, he began to decide. Wasn't worth this stress and almost terror that flooded through him every time Kurt thought about him. The boy's project with them was almost over, so he'd be out of Kurt's hair in no time. No more worries.

It was a decision that was hard for Kurt to come by, since he really _did_ want to know Blaine, not just kiss him. Find out why he picked photography out of all art forms and find out what else he does with his free time, favorite bands, movies, little things he does that make him cuter than before...

He shook his head to clear his thoughts. This had to stop. He tried to force himself to say that he was officially moving on while he left Starbucks with his usual coffee order and a croissant to go, but the words wouldn't come out of his mouth. Maybe saying them mentally was enough.


	7. Chapter 7

Blaine's plan was easy: stand in the same spot, same time, same day of the week, and wait. That boy from his picture had to be there. He jogged in place slightly to keep himself warm and the blood in his system from freezing, realizing that he was far too anxious to consider finishing his coffee. He shrugged, deciding to keep it next to him on the ground just in case he wanted it later. After he found this boy.

He checked his phone once again, finding that only a minute had passed since he last checked. A groan sounded from his throat, impatient mixed with freezing. _Come on, I'll buy your coffee if you come by_, he thought, the internal voice sounding somewhat forceful. His eyes scanned the people walking by, looking for that perfectly styled hair he had photographed, the same coat, the same boy. This was getting ridiculous.

Sam texted him, asking if he'd found him yet, and with a quick "no, busy looking" he pocketed his phone and jogged in place again. Fuck Tuesdays. He stood there waiting, ignoring the stares he got from people passing by that noticed he was watching them, just hoping that the boy would show.

He took his phone out after his fingers started losing feeling, noticing that it was ten minutes after the time he took pictures the week before. A wave of disappointment and sadness washed over Blaine; maybe that boy was just someone visiting the city, and by now he was long gone. _No_, Blaine told himself. _Just wait ten more minutes. You can do it_.

The wall he was leaning against was cold, only dropping his body temperature even more while he continued to wait. His phone went off again, another text from Sam asking if he'd had any success. Blaine didn't answer, too focused on watching the people walking by him to consider it. Every time someone in a dark jacket with coiffed hair walked by (which was more often than you'd think) Blaine would step forward, ready to run after him and grab his attention, but was disappointed after each one.

Ten minutes passed and still no sign of that boy. Blaine's hopes were dashed, torn into pieces, and he felt crushed. He knew that it was ridiculous of him to be this upset over a boy he hadn't actually seen before, but he wanted to find him so badly. His heart ached a little while he thought about it. It was just a boy, after all, and he hadn't had the best luck with boys before.

Blaine finally gave up, a frustrated sigh making his breath puff in his face as he leaned down to pick up his bag and his coffee. He slung the strap on his shoulder and held the now nearly frozen coffee in his hands, scanning around one last time for any sign of the boy.

_There he is!_ Blaine shouted at himself once his eyes landed on a boy with gorgeous blue eyes. That's him. He forced himself to move after a few moments, realizing that he hadn't started chasing after him yet. "Wait!" he called out. "Wait, come back!"

The boy didn't stop, not realizing that Blaine was calling out to _him_. Blaine began to lose sight of him, the crowd of people walking down the street seeming to get bigger and bigger with each step. "Stop, come back!"

Blaine nearly ran out into the middle of the street once he burst through the throng of people, stopping just after the curb and turning in a circle while he looked for where that boy had gone. "Fuck," he said, putting a hand over his mouth in shock. "_Fuck_, I lost him."


	8. Chapter 8

"The weirdest thing happened on the way here," Kurt pointed out as he swiveled his chair around to face Rachel. "Some crazy guy was shouting at someone to stop. Like, it's Chicago, sweetheart. Nobody's stopping for you."

Rachel raised an eyebrow at her friend, a smile tugging at her lips. "Maybe it was for you and you're so oblivious that you disappointed him," she replied lightly. Honestly, she had no idea, but teasing Kurt was always her top priority. All out of love.

"You're not funny," Kurt snapped, rolling his eyes as he scoffed. "Who the hell would be calling after _me_ unless they knew me?"

"Every gay guy with a brain in his head?"

"Shut up."

"Well, whoever it was, they probably didn't find who they were looking for, huh?"

"Nope," Kurt replied firmly. "Afraid not."

"Get back to work, loverboy."

"Would you quit calling me that?" Kurt asked, his voice rising in pitch a little. "It wasn't funny the first time and it's damn well not now."

"Jesus," Rachel replied with a roll of her eyes. "Like I said, talking to him will make this all go away." With that, Rachel pulled her headphones back down over her ears, blocking out the world, and went back to sketching. Kurt was left alone with nothing but the sounds of sewing machines and his thoughts to keep him company.

Not the best company, he might add. He didn't like where his thoughts were going whatsoever, since everything that came into his head went to Blaine in one way or another. Every time, he simply rolled his eyes and tried to move on, but the idea of knowing Blaine, knowing small details about him that make him who he is was fascinating, and something Kurt began to crave.

_Just talk to him_, he said sternly in his head. _He's just a boy. An extremely gorgeous boy. It's nothing to worry about._  
Still not working. He heard the door to the room open and slam shut, telling himself to keep his eyes down. It didn't work, however, and Blaine's face was the first thing he saw. _Why is he here? Why is he _always_ here?_

"Hi, everyone!" Blaine announced happily. "I just wanted to thank all of you for letting me photograph your amazing designs. They're beautiful. Right now I'm working on cleaning them up a little, and I'll have CDs with all each picture I took on them for your professor to hand out. Um, thank you again."

Kurt let out a small laugh, almost sounding like a cough. He could feel part of him wanting to get up and tell Blaine to wait and walk out with him, ask him for coffee, and see where things go from there. But the bigger part of him, the part that was afraid, kept him rooted to his chair, hiding his face from the boy in the front of the room. He glanced over his shoulder at Rachel, who was nearly falling off her chair gesturing for him to go chase after Blaine. He shook his head as his stare turned into a glare, looking back at the sewing machine in front of him while he heard Blaine's voice thanking some of the students who had gone up to him.

_Courage_, he told himself._ Just have some fucking courage, Kurt_.

He turned around to face the front of the room, pulled himself to his feet, completely ignoring Rachel's triumphant squeak. Blaine was gone, though, he realized as he took in the door swinging shut. He was too late.

"Kurt," Rachel sighed, a definite sadness and consoling note in her tone. "He'll be back."

Kurt dropped back down into his chair like his legs had just given out under him, which they had, in a sense. He let out a disbelieving laugh, still trying to process that he had just made a step toward introducing himself to Blaine.

Maybe he could do this.


	9. Chapter 9

"Dude, you're in a fucking Cinderella story," Sam said through a full mouth. "But, like, he's definitely not a princess. Maybe he's the prince of some unknown country like in _Princess Diaries_."

Blaine's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "How do you know that movie?"

"My little sister?"

"I call bullshit."

"Fine. I did watch it with her the first time, but after that-"

"What a sap."

"Fuck you, man." Sam let out a laugh and shook his head fondly. "So have you made any progress?"

Blaine's answer was slow to come. He sighed sadly and hung his head a little. "Still nothing. If I could just... find someone who knew him, this would be a whole hell of a lot easier. But it's Chicago. I'm literally looking for a one in a million."

"More like one in two million," Sam pointed out matter-of-factly. He glanced over to see Blaine's unamused glare and relented. "Sorry."

"Do you think he goes to Columbia? I mean, he looks like he's in college, right?" Blaine looked over at the picture of the boy now resting on one of Sam's easels, as beautiful as ever.

"What if he's, like, a really young looking fifty-year-old?"

"I'll punch you."

"It's a serious question!"

"I don't think anyone can look like that at fifty, not without the Fountain of Youth or something."

"The wonders of Botox?"

"Sam!"

"Okay, okay," Sam replied, holding his hands up in surrender. "Do what you want, man. I'm not lying when I say I want you to find him, but keep an open mind about it, okay?"

"You're so smart sometimes," Blaine sighed dreamily, immediately bursting into laughter as Sam's face scrunched up in almost disgust. Mock-flirting with Sam was quickly becoming one of Blaine's favorite pastimes, since both boys knew that they would never get together. It was just a joke that Blaine especially took full advantage of.

"Whatever, dude. I'll see you later."

And with that, Blaine was left alone with the picture of this boy. It was all he had to go on; this one picture and the memory of seeing him in the streets earlier that week. Sam was right, as much as he hated to admit it. For all he knew, this was some older businessman that he was developing a bigger and bigger crush on every time he looked at his picture. Isn't that, like, pedophelia of some sort?

He shook his head, getting rid of that thought instantly. There was no way that someone could look _that_ young unless they _were_ that young. College-age, at the youngest. He put his elbow up on the table he sat at and rested his head on his hand, simply staring at the face on the easel. God, this boy was beautiful. He was hooked, close to obsessed with just finding out his name, if nothing else.

A small, frustrated groan left him. He'd never find this boy again; there was no way. Chicago had two million people living in it, for Christ's sake. Not to mention all the people who lived in the suburbs that came into the city just for work. He was so screwed.


	10. Chapter 10

Kurt was close to bursting. He wasn't sure why, he just was. It was like he'd gone through a bad breakup, and he didn't know _why_. He had ice cream, romantic movies that made him cry, and Rachel by his side to share his pain. He still couldn't figure out _why_ this was all happening.

_Why_ was he upset that he didn't talk to Blaine? _Why_ did he build up the courage to try just as he left? _Why_ was he acting like this?

He certainly didn't know, and neither did Rachel. Admittedly, she knew that he was still vulnerable and young, and definitely naïve, but even this was a stretch for Kurt Hummel.

"He's not even worth it," Kurt pointed out after he'd finished a mouthful of ice cream. "Right? He's just some guy."

Rachel couldn't answer, she just sighed. Every part of her ached for her friend; he'd been through so much and coming to Chicago was supposed to be a fresh start for him, a chance for him to find a guy who loved him and wanted to be with him, yet this... This wasn't what she was expecting to happen at all.

"Kurt," she finally said softly. "Take a second to think about what you're doing. You're _crying_ over a boy you haven't even talked to because you're worried he won't like you. It's worth a shot to actually see if you're right, isn't it?"

"But Rachel-"

"But nothing," Rachel quickly interrupted. "I've heard from a couple people that Blaine's gay. You need to try this."

"He's... really? I figured with the way he was talking to all the girls that-"

"Kurt."

"Oh."

"Yeah. I'll only say this once more: try it. If it fails, we watch _The Notebook_ and eat so much ice cream we might burst and move on."

Kurt looked at the TV, seeing whatever rom-com he and Rachel had decided on playing through, though nobody was watching it. He looked back at the girl, her eyes fierce and confident, yet loving and concerned. He let out a sigh, dropping his head forward on his shoulders, and nodded. "When am I going to see him again, though? He wouldn't be doing another shoot for us for weeks."

"I'll see if I can find him," Rachel said warmly as she leaned over to rest her head on Kurt's shoulder. "I really want you to be happy, darling. You deserve it more than anyone I know."

"Thanks, Rach," Kurt said, his voice slightly shaky through his closed throat. He didn't want to cry over Blaine, it was just happening. He couldn't believe himself, to be honest. This was one of the most childish things he's ever done. He managed to build up this amazing fantasy in his head of what Blaine would be like, so if he wasn't anything like that, Kurt would be crushed.

He sighed sadly. The fact that some random photographer was getting into his head like this was annoying and somehow welcoming at the same time. He couldn't explain it. Blaine had this way about him that just drew Kurt to him. He couldn't stop.


	11. Chapter 11

Blaine shuffled through a folder filled with his prints, searching for one in particular that he wanted to mount and put on display. Honestly, he wanted to display the picture of that boy currently tacked up on the wall in his bedroom, but he needed it around him for now. Until he found who he was looking for.

He made an excited noise, just barely heard even to himself, as he found the print he was looking for. It was of a mother and her daughter, playing in the fountains at Crown Park. It was a gorgeous shot, capturing the tight-knit relationship between them as well as how much fun they were having. Definitely something to be shared in the art gallery.

Now he set to mounting, the process so second-nature by now that he did it without really thinking. He was in the middle of measuring the amount of whitespace he wanted when he heard the door open and fall shut, high heels clicking on the tile floor.

"Blaine?" a small voice sounded from across the room. "I thought I'd find you here."

Blaine turned around to find a girl, long brown hair with bangs that were cut straight across her forehead, a blue, form-fitting dress and black boots on her tiny frame. She looked familiar, but for the life of him, Blaine couldn't place her name. "Hi," he greeted simply. "What's up?"

"Um, I don't know if you remember me. I'm Rachel Berry. From that fashion class you took pictures for?"

"Oh, yeah. I think I remember you. You had-"

"A lot of animal prints."

"Yes, yes. I remember you. Need help with something?"

"Nothing in particular, I just," she paused to let out a small laugh, "wanted to get to know you?"

Blaine's face fell a little. "Rachel, I-"

"Oh, no, no! Not like that. Just as friends, I promise."

"Alright," Blaine said slowly. "I'll have to talk while I'm working, though, is that okay?"

Rachel nodded, a wide grin spreading on her lips as her heels clicked over to the table he was working at. She sat slowly, just watching Blaine, who had gone back to work. After a few moments of silence, Blaine glanced up, his eyebrows raised. "Are you... going to talk?"

"Yes, sorry," the girl immediately said as she shook her head to snap back into focus. "I'm just," she paused again. "You're kinda fascinating."

"Oh?" Blaine tilted his head to the side slightly, a small smile spreading on his lips. "And how so?"

"My friend sort of has a huge crush on you, so we've been talking about it a lot. Sorry. You're very handsome and a photographer and really good with people, and there's something about you that just drew everyone in, in the fashion lab. I can't pin it down exactly."

Blaine froze, his eyes falling shut as he inhaled. "Look, Rachel. I, um, I'm flattered, but-"

"Right, right. I'm sorry. Let's just, um, I wanted to know why you chose photography of all things to pursue."

"Um," Blaine began, sorting through his thoughts while he placed his print and the board it was about to be glued to in the mounting press. "I fell in love with pictures at a really young age. I held my first camera when I was six, and ever since then, I haven't stopped. Pictures are... they can be of anything, and anyone, and it was something that just captured every part of my interest."

Rachel was half in love with Blaine already, and she shook her head to snap herself out of her dreamy stare. She was here for an unauthorized recon, not fall for someone she'd never be able to have. "That's amazing, Blaine. Really. I didn't even get my start in fashion like that. I just... liked clothes, so I decided that I should start making my own. Honestly, I just wanted to stay with my friend."

"Yeah? Tell me about this friend."

Rachel shook her head as a blush spread on her tanned cheeks, the makeup she'd applied becoming just a little more pink. "I shouldn't," she said softly, letting out a small laugh. "Maybe soon, though. Definitely."

Blaine glanced up at her again, his gaze questioning and slightly judgemental, though he didn't mean to be. She gave a small, embarrassed laugh, biting her lip as she looked down at her hands. "Rachel, um, I'm sorry, but I have to get going. If you'd like, we can get coffee tomorrow or something and you can continue this twenty questions game?" He paused as his eyes widened slightly. "I'm so sorry. That sounded so harsh. I'm just a little stressed, that's all."

"Aw, that sucks. What's going on?"

"There's a boy I got a picture of during one of my people in motion shoots, and I'm trying to find him."

"Do you have the picture? Maybe I know him!"

Blaine shook his head. "It's up on the wall in my bedroom, by all the other prints from that shoot. I can, um, take a picture of it on my phone and show you?"

"Yeah, that'd be great!"

"Alright, uh, tomorrow morning, Starbucks down the street?"

Rachel nodded her agreement as she stood and collected her things. "Thanks, Blaine. For answering my questions and stuff like that. I'd really like to be friends, you know."

"Friends, yeah. We're friends."


	12. Chapter 12

"You did _what?!_" Kurt exclaimed, his hands raising above his head. "Rachel, what were you thinking?"

"I wanted to help you out! Blaine's a really nice guy, and I was already planning on talking to him again before you started obsessing over him like this."

"I'm not obsessing."

"Right." Rachel pointed a knowing stare at Kurt, whose face began to fall in defeat.

"Fine, maybe a little. I'm just scared, okay?"

"I know, babe. That's why I'm helping this along. Obviously, you're going to have to hear this all from him personally, because how weird would it be if you knew it before dating him?"

"Don't call me babe."

"Whatever. Okay, so, Blaine. He's been interested in photography since he was six, and he loves the fact that the pictures can be about anyone and anything, in any situation. It's fascinating to him, and honestly, I'm starting to feel the same way."

Kurt sighed as he lowered himself onto the couch next to his friend. Blaine kept getting more and more intriguing with each word Rachel spoke, and he couldn't stop himself from wanting to know him, and be with him, no matter how hard he'd tried. He was up all night screaming at himself to just stop, give up, move on, but he couldn't.

"I found out the truth about what team he's on," Rachel sang after she'd noticed Kurt staring off. His eyes widened slightly as they turned to her, causing her to burst into laughter. "He definitely _wasn't_ interested in me, and the way he was like 'oh, um, I'm flattered, but...' definitely gay. And looking for some boy he took a picture of."

"What?" Kurt's mind began racing; what if it really was Blaine that was calling out to him on the street that morning? What if _he_ was the subject of that picture, and the boy he was looking for? No way. There's no way in the world. It was probably someone a lot more attractive than Kurt, because really, what did Kurt even have to offer? He was skinny and far too pale and it was nothing to be desired. Rachel was definitely crazy for all the times she's said he's hot. He's not, and he's so sure of that. Why else would guys look at him like he's grown an extra head?

"Yeah, I guess he's looking for some boy. Sounds like a Cinderella story. Maybe he's secretly got camera crews following him and it'll be the next _Avatar_?"

"Very funny," Kurt replied as he rolled his eyes. "Did he say who it was? Or, like, show you?"

"Nope. He says it's on the wall in his bedroom. He's taking a picture of it with his phone and showing me tomorrow morning, though."

"You're meeting him _tomorrow_?"

"I'll set you two up if it's the last thing I do, Kurt Hummel."

"God, you're fucking ridiculous. I can't believe you."

"You won't regret it, my love. You'll be happy with a hot boyfriend and be the talk of the town."

Kurt felt a blush begin to spread across his cheeks as he picked up a pillow and threw it at Rachel, hitting her right in the face. The fact that she was even going through with this was equal parts insane and endearing.

He spent the rest of the night wondering, allowing himself to actually consider what kind of questions he'd ask and what he wanted to know about Blaine, since Rachel was making it her mission to get them to at least speak. He wanted to know everything, honestly. He tried repeatedly to hide the shy smile the spread on his face and the slight blush that was still present on his cheeks, only to have his body betray him every time Rachel looked over.


	13. Chapter 13

Blaine stepped out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist, his hair freshly dried and lightly gelled and an outfit already laying out for him to put on. He trudged over to the bed, still trying as hard as he could to stop being so damn tired. It wasn't until he finished getting dressed and turned around to see that boy's face on the wall that he remembered why he was up so ridiculously early.

He was meeting that Rachel girl, who was so interested in why he took pictures. He wasn't sure if she was trying to hit on him or what, so this trip wasn't something he was excited for. The last thing he wanted was to break a girl's heart and explain that he'll never be interested in her

It was almost like he was on autopilot, walking over to his dresser and pulling his phone off the charger, taking a picture of the boy's face, making sure it was clear enough that she could maybe recognize him.

"Are you setting that as your wallpaper? A little extreme, dude," Sam piped up from the doorway. Blaine heard his phone make its artificial shutter sound and he looked over, a tired and unamused expression on his face.

"I am not. A girl wanted to see it and there's no way in hell I'm bringing this around with me anywhere unless it's being put in a gallery," Blaine explained matter-of-factly as he pocketed his phone and began searching for the final few things he needed before he left.

"A girl? Is she hot?"

Blaine glanced up from where he was bent down over his bag, an eyebrow raised at Sam. "She's cute, but I doubt you'd even be interested in a fashion major. And she has this weird fascination with reindeer, from what I've seen of her notebooks and things."

"Come on, man! Help a brother out!"

"I'm going to ignore the fact that you just tried to act black, Blondie. _Maybe_ I'll mention you, but what are you doing for me in return?"

Sam folded his arms and raised an eyebrow at Blaine. "What _don't_ I do for you?"

"Everything?"

"I do plenty!"

"Yeah, Sam, whatever. I'll mention you. I have to go, okay?" Blaine didn't give his roommate a chance to answer before he walked past him and out the door, ready to just put his iPod on and get on the bus to Starbucks. He was desperate for coffee.

It seemed like everything was going by too fast today for Blaine. The bus ride lasted a few moments, his very short walk to Starbucks took no time at all. He wasn't even sure why he felt so bad today, but he did. Maybe it was because every effort he's made so far to find the boy in the picture has gotten him to nothing but crushed hopes and a bitter attitude about it.

"Hey, Rachel," he nearly groaned as he came up to her, facing away from him at a table in the corner. She immediately brightened, far too awake for his taste this early in the morning. "I'm still not awake, sorry. I'll go grab some coffee and we've got maybe half an hour before I have to head to Columbia." He didn't wait to see her reaction, just assuming that she was fine with it; why wouldn't she be?

"Alright, so," the girl began a few minutes later, after Blaine had returned with his coffee. He took a few sips and instantly began feeling a little better, ready to process and answer her questions with a much better attitude. "Can I see that picture?"

"What? Oh, yeah, of course." Blaine slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, the silence slightly awkward while he looked around for the picture of the boy. "Um, here." He held his phone out for the girl to take, who was hesitant at first, but nearly snatched it from him from her excitement.

She looked over the picture slowly, carefully, trying to process what she saw. _Kurt?_ She couldn't believe it. The boy he was looking for was Kurt all along?

"I-I..." she trailed off with a small laugh, her eyes wide. "He's, um, I can see why you're looking for him."

"Do you know him?" Blaine asked, suddenly excited, all the life returning to his hopeful hazel eyes. "Or at least have you seen him around? Does he go to Columbia or something?"

"I, uh, I've definitely seen him before," Rachel explained slowly as she handed Blaine his phone. She paused to watch the boy for a moment, taking in how he was holding the phone in his lap like it was precious because Kurt's picture was displayed on the screen. "He goes to Columbia." She stopped again to take out her own phone and looked at the time. "I have to go, though!"

"Oh," Blaine replied, his shoulders falling at the same time as his face. "Okay, um, that's alright. Can I... Can I get his name before you go, if you know it?"

Rachel was already on her feet and walking backwards, her eyes still wide but apologetic. "His name is Kurt!" she called out before pushing the door open and disappearing down the street.


	14. Chapter 14

Kurt slammed his hand down on the horizontal door handle to his classroom, the sight of it reminding him of high school again. He pushed the wooden door open, letting it fall shut behind him. He heard the clicking of high heels coming rapidly toward him, not planning on stopping as they moved.

"Kurt, Kurt, Kurt!" Rachel exclaimed, plowing directly into Kurt and nearly knocking him over. "You will not fucking _believe_ what I have to tell you."

"Jesus, Rachel, what's your problem?" Kurt replied as he tried to catch his breath, settling a hand on his ribs. "If I have a bruise because of you-"

"Now's not the _time_!" the girl whined. She wrapped both her arms around Kurt's elbow and began pulling, trying as hard as her little body would allow to get Kurt to come with her. "Come on, you need to sit to hear this."

"Okay, okay, fine." Kurt allowed himself to be pulled over to a chair, being promptly thrown into it while Rachel paced in front of him. "What's going on?"

"So I met with Blaine earlier, right? And he took a picture of the thing on his wall like he promised and it was sweet of him to remember so I asked to look at it and it took me a minute because all I could think about at first was how beautiful the picture was and then I realized that it was _you_, Kurt."

Kurt didn't answer for a moment, trying hard to figure out what Rachel had just said at a mile a minute. "Wait, what?"

"That boy Blaine's looking for? It's you." Rachel's smile almost consumed her entire face while she stared at Kurt, eyes wide, excited, and full of hope and emotion. Kurt burst into laughter.

"Quit fucking around, Rachel. You're joking."

"I'm really not, I promise. I ran out of there before I could even ask him how he was doing because I had to tell you as soon as possible."

Kurt let out a slow, shaking breath. Rachel wasn't one to joke around when it came to things like this, so she must be telling the truth. _Blaine_ was looking for _him_? Him, Kurt Hummel, the too pale, too skinny, socially awkward college student? He didn't know what to think of it.

"What did you say?"

"He wanted to know your name. That's all."

"That's... incredibly sweet, oh my god. Did you tell him?"

"Just your first name. I was literally on my way out and yelled it at him."

"But Rachel. Holy shit. Holy _shit_!"

"I know! Kurt, you're basically the man of Blaine's dreams. Imagine what this _means_."

Kurt shivered at the thought. It was like everything was falling into place, but what was he supposed to do about this? Just walk up to him, go "hey, I'm the boy you're looking for" and they live happily ever after? No way. Far too creepy.

He let out a small, disbelieving laugh. After he had just built up enough courage to even think about talking to Blaine, he had to figure out a way to tell Blaine that it's him and live out this insane Cinderella story. He was so far in over his head and he knew it.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N**: hey guys! i just wanted to address a few things that i've been seeing in the reviews.

to the people getting upset that the boys haven't met yet: i'm not trying to give too much away, but the entire fic is about them just missing each other. you'll find out what happens eventually, i promise. :)

and about the chapter sizes... i wanted to keep this kinda short and sweet, so it's only at around 11k words in total, including the epilogue. i know the chapters are short, but i'm working on something new that i may post that has nice long chapters to work with so far.

on that note, we're almost done with this! it's been fun and i want to thank everyone so so so much for reading and liking this as much as you have been. it means the world to me. 3

* * *

"Kurt."

"My name's Sam," Sam said slowly, questioningly, at the name being Blaine's greeting.

"No, dumbass. His name is Kurt."

"Wait, you found out his name? How?"

"That girl I met this morning, she knows him."

Sam let out a loud laugh. "No shit, man! Small world."

Blaine watched his roommate disappear into his bedroom before he let out a small sigh, incredibly happy and almost dreamy. He had a name. It wasn't much to go on, but it was more than he'd had the day before, and that was all he needed. For now, at least. Now that he knew from Rachel that the boy went to Columbia, he had a new place to look. Somewhere that wasn't so ridiculously cold. He'd have a much better chance at finding him with Rachel to turn to; that is, if he could get any more information out of her. He didn't want to pry, obviously, or be creepy in any way, but he wanted to _know_. It was killing him to know that he was this close without actually finding him yet.

"Dude, snap out of it," Sam said as he snapped his fingers in front of Blaine's face. "How long have you just been staring at the wall?"

"What?" Blaine asked dazedly, blinking his eyes a few times before he looked up at the blonde haired boy standing in front of him. "I have no idea, honestly."

"You're daydreaming about him, aren't you? Holding hands and kissing him and I'll sing it."

"Don't you dare."

"_Blaine and Kurt, sitting in a_-"

"Sam, don't," Blaine threatened, though it was diminished slightly by his laughter. "I'm serious."

"'Oh, Blaine, you're so handsome!'" Sam's voice was now much higher and sing-song, trying to imitate a boy he'd never met. "Just admit it, dude. Come on."

"Fine! Fine. Maybe I do want to ask him out. At least see if he's even on my team, you know?"

It was true. Very true. Blaine wanted to ask him to dinner, a movie, anything they wanted to do. He wanted it to be a date, since he was pretty sure he was falling in love with someone he knew next to nothing about. But if it turned out that they weren't the same, then it'd just be as friends. There was something incredibly compelling about Kurt, Blaine realized. He _had_ to have him in his life somehow; he just didn't know the specifics. It'd be one way or another, friend or boyfriend, but he wasn't about to let this go, and he didn't know why.

It both terrified him and comforted him, but mostly just made him feel tired. Too much to process at once. He really hoped that once he met Kurt and got to know him a little better, these conflicting feelings would go away and he'd just feel better, happier, more at peace with himself.

"Hey, Blaine," Sam said, his voice suddenly serious. Blaine snapped out of his thoughts with a small shake of his head, turning to the boy with slightly furrowed eyebrows. "All joking aside, I really do want you to be happy. That's all I ever want for you. I really hope this all works out."

Blaine smiled and slowly nodded. "I know, Sammy. And you know that's all I want for you. We'll both find who we're supposed to be with, just you wait."

They both just stared at each other in silence before bursting into laughter.

"We're such saps," Sam pointed out through another loud, hearty laugh.

Blaine shrugged and grinned. "Sometimes it's needed, you know?"

"Yeah, whatever. I'm getting pizza, want some?"

"When _don't_ I?"


	16. Chapter 16

Kurt felt giddy, happy, excited, but mostly, he felt _wanted_. It was a completely new feeling for him. Sure, he'd been wanted as a friend, or for a design, or something like that, but someone in the world actually wanted him. Why wouldn't he be floating on cloud nine?

Floating was just what he did; he felt lighter than air, more graceful than ever before, and seemed to do everything in one fluid, beautiful motion. Even the freezing temperatures and never-ending snow in Chicago couldn't dampen his mood in the slightest. Rachel had noticed, obviously, but instead of teasing him about it, she simply left him to soak it all up, hugging him and kissing his cheek before she left for her early-morning class.

Kurt spent a little more time than usual getting ready (which was already a lot), on the off-chance that he ran into Blaine. His hair was perfect, perhaps hairsprayed in place a tad too much, but that was simply to protect it from the wind. The outfit was comfortable and casual, but still showing a side of elegance to him that showed in every one of his outfits.

He decided to walk to Columbia today, enjoying the slightly warmer than it has been all week weather. It was only in the high 30s, but even then, warmer than what had become the normal in the city. The walk helped him clear his mind a little, as well, to focus on doing his work and not thinking about Blaine, or what he knew about Blaine.

After the stop at Starbucks, which was boring once again, he set off down the street, watching his feet move while he weaved around the people walking in the opposite way. That was the thing about Chicago; heads were down, no eye contact made, and if you said hi to someone you didn't know, it was like the kiss of death. It just didn't happen. Things were like that in most big cities, honestly. Kurt was lucky enough to have avoided any run-ins with muggers, gang members, people like that, since he walked fast and with a purpose, and if he needed to be, was pretty fast on his feet.

He came up to the school and looked up at it, smiling softly at the very idea that Blaine could be inside. The time was slowly approaching the top of the hour, when Kurt's class started, so he hurried through the door and slowed his pace down a little to look through his Facebook on his phone. Everything went well, nobody had even showed up in the halls, until he heard someone start running through the hall, papers crumpling and ruffling as he ran.

Kurt paid no attention, simply continuing on his way and assuming that the person would just go around him, but next thing he knew, he was being knocked back by the force of a weight crashing into him, immediately hearing a "sorry, oh my god."


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N**: alright guys, this is the last real chapter. the epilogue is next, and then we're done! it's been fun and i really appreciate all of the love and support for this.

also, not to brag or ask for attention or anything (so please don't take it that way) if i get enough requests and okays, i could write some accompanying ficlets and oneshots to go with this verse. i have everything planned out since i do that with all my verses. it's an option! :3

* * *

Blaine needed to get out, and quickly. He had come as early as possible to get his work done, though his teacher was out sick, so he didn't have a class today. He had planned to see if he could find Kurt at Starbucks, knowing that he could be there, since it was Tuesday, after all. Three weeks since he'd taken that picture and he was so close to finding him.

The only problem facing him right now was that he had started to lose track of time and once he looked at his phone, he realized he only had about five minutes to run down the street to Starbucks and look. He threw his bag over his shoulder, not even finished with putting his papers into the bag, before he sprinted out the door and down the hall.

He put his head down to make sure that his papers made their way into his bag, not caring if they were crumpled or out of order, just wanting to get out and down the street as fast as possible. He turned the corner and headed right down the hallway, crashing directly into someone walking.

"Sorry, oh my god," Blaine rushed out, checking to make sure that this person - boy, he found out from the way he was dressed - was okay before he looked up at his face. "I'm so sorry..." he trailed off as he took in those light blue, gorgeous eyes, very familiar by now. He froze, mouth open, and his eyes widened. It was _Kurt_. "I-I-"

"Are you okay?" Kurt asked gently, looking Blaine up and down quickly. "Did you hit your head or something?"

Blaine shook his head to snap back to reality. "No, um, sorry. I... It's you. You're who I've been looking for."

Kurt smiled slowly. "Am I?" he asked, voice light and knowing. "I'm Kurt Hummel." He held his hand out for Blaine to shake, his bright blue eyes watching him closely.

"M-My name's Blaine," the boy immediately said, as if the words couldn't leave his mouth fast enough. He shook Kurt's hand, head reeling at the feeling of their skin touching. "Blaine Anderson. I, um, it's great to meet you."

Kurt nodded as a small laugh left him. "I know who you are."

"Wait, you do? How?"

"Well, Rachel's in my fashion class, and you know her from there."

The wheels in Blaine's head began turning. He had been in that class every day for a week; how did he not see Kurt there? "You were there and I didn't see you?"

"I'm a little shy," Kurt replied lightly. "I sat in the back and didn't just get up to talk to you, and since the models are the only ones that see you for the photoshoot itself..."

Blaine's mind was racing, trying to figure out how in the _world_ he managed to miss those eyes in class. That face. That _everything_. He couldn't wrap his mind around it. "I have been looking for you for weeks. I was taking pictures of people just around the street and you were one of them and once I printed it, I just... wow. You're, um, you're fascinating. I wanted to know you, know things about you, know your name. This is really embarrassing."

"Blaine, I think it's flattering that you wanted to know these things." Kurt glanced up at Blaine, his cheeks flushed and his heart trying to jump right out of his chest. "Well, my name is Kurt, I go to Columbia, and I major in fashion design. You're Blaine, you go to Columbia, and major in photography."

"Yeah," Blaine replied softly as a blush spread on his cheeks. He felt a small, shy smile begin to appear on his lips, his gaze pointed down a little while he held onto the strap of his bag with both hands. He'd never been this shy before. "I, um, I really liked your designs, by the way. They're amazing."

"Well, thank you," Kurt cooed. "I worked hard on them. I like to think it's some of my best work so far."

"It definitely impressed me. And Rachel's, um, with the animal prints? I'm not the biggest fan of those patterns myself, but they were elegant and I liked it."

"My, my. You're quite the fashionista, aren't you?"

Blaine's cheeks turned a brighter red. "N-Not really," he admitted softly. "I'm trying, though." He looked up at Kurt and took in the boy's blue eyes, now warm and inviting. A wide grin spread on his lips, nearly consuming his entire face. Kurt felt a small blush of his own begin to fall across his cheeks as he returned Blaine's smile, just as wide and excited.

"It's amazing that you're trying, Blaine. You're definitely very good at it." He bit his lip and twisted his foot into the carpet a little. "I think it's cute."

A small silence followed Kurt's words while the boy checked his phone for the time. He really had to get going, as much as he didn't want to. His mind was scrambling, trying to come up with the words to ask Blaine out. It didn't matter if it wasn't a date and just two people becoming friends, he just needed something more than this one meeting.

"Do you want to get dinner or something tonight?" Blaine asked, the words coming out so fast that they almost sounded like one. "Maybe?"

Kurt's heart nearly stopped beating. He blinked slowly, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment, letting it sink in that Blaine just asked him out. He had to go, though, so he reached into the front pocket of his bag and pulled out a Sharpie.

With a small smile, he gestured for Blaine's hand and took it into his own, the feeling of it nearly making his legs give out under him. He uncapped the marker with his teeth and let the cap stay between his lips while he pressed the tip to Blaine's skin and wrote down his phone number.

"Tell me when and where?" he asked softly as he curled Blaine's fingers into a fist and gently pushed the boy's hand to his chest. He bit his lip and walked past him to begin heading to class, pausing to look over his shoulder and wave to the boy. "I'll see you soon, Blaine."


	18. Epilogue

**A/N**: so this is it! i had a blast writing this and an even better time sharing it with all of you. thank you so much for all your love and support of this!

* * *

Kurt hummed gently to himself while he began organizing his papers, stuffing a few into his sketchbook and filing them all away in his bag. Finally, the weekend. He was so relieved that he refused to take weekend classes, preferring to have at least some days where he didn't have to worry about showing up at this building.

He said a quick goodbye to Rachel, who was heading out the door to catch the bus and head to work. Again, Kurt was relieved that he wasn't scheduled today. A break was definitely needed. He headed to the back of the room, by the door, where his professor was tacking up a few of her own designs on a board. He thanked her, a habit he'd picked up from freshman year, and finally made his way out into the hallway.

A pair of arms wrapped around his waist once he took a few steps in the hall, making him jump and his heart began racing. "Hey," a familiar voice sang out in greeting, and a small kiss was placed on Kurt's cheek. "One month today."

Kurt hummed and turned his head to find Blaine's eyes, warm, excited, and everything Kurt wanted after a long day. He leaned in and pressed their lips together, short and sweet, before he pulled away and grabbed the boy's chin, tilting his head down to rest their foreheads together instead. "Hi," he finally greeted. "What brings you here?"

"There's something I wanted to show you. I'm really excited about it. And it's sort of a present for our one month."

"Yeah? And what is it?"

"Now, now," Blaine said seriously, the harshness of his tone lost to his wide grin and bright eyes. "That would ruin the surprise, wouldn't it?" He let go of his boyfriend's waist and grabbed his hands instead, lacing their fingers together tight. "Come on."

"Blaine, do we _have_ to run?" Kurt asked, tripping over his feet every other step while he tried to keep up with Blaine. It was adorable that the boy was this excited about whatever it was he had to show him, but the last thing Kurt wanted was to fall flat on his face and skid across the carpet. Rugburn was not part of his plans for the day. "We'll still get there if we walk, you know."

Blaine looked over his shoulder at Kurt, a small smile spread on his lips. "I want you to see it before anyone else," he pointed out lightly and shrugged his shoulders before turning his focus back in front of him. Kurt's eyebrows furrowed in confusion but his heart melted.

They stole a few kisses in the elevator, tucked away in the corner though nobody was with them. These were some of Kurt's favorite moments. He loved being with Blaine, loved kissing him and hearing him laugh, loved feeling wanted by someone in the same way he wanted them. Not to mention Blaine was an _amazing_ kisser.

"Come on," Blaine whispered once he heard the elevator doors open. He pulled back and nearly skipped down the hall, pausing as soon as he realized he didn't hear Kurt behind him. "Baby, I promise you'll love it."

Kurt shook his head fondly while he hurried down the hall, his excitement for this surprise growing with each step. It quickly dawned on him that they had come to the art gallery, where many of Blaine's pieces were hanging, and the giddy feeling in his stomach only multiplied. "You didn't tell me you entered another picture."

"I told you, it's a surprise," Blaine insisted as he turned around quickly and stopped Kurt from entering. "Close your eyes."

"Blaine, I don't-" Kurt began, cutting himself off once Blaine's hands covered his eyes. He felt the boy's knee nudge against the back of his leg, urging him forward, and Kurt began walking slowly and carefully, holding his arms out to the sides to try and feel for a wall or something. "Seriously, what are you doing?"

"Hush," Blaine said lightly. "Alright, stop here. And keep your eyes closed."

Kurt reluctantly did as he was told, stopping himself from peeking an eye open to see what the huge deal was about. He heard Blaine's footsteps get quieter and louder again as the boy ran off to get something, settling his hands on Kurt's shoulders once he'd returned. "Okay, open them," he ordered, voice soft but excited.

There it was. _The_ picture. The one that started everything for Blaine. Kurt had never seen it before now, because once Blaine had found him, he filed it away in his never-ending pile of things to mount and put on display. Kurt immediately saw why Blaine had worked so hard to find him; even Kurt would've gone after someone once he saw the intensity and mystery that Blaine captured in his eyes. It had to be the boy's best piece.

"Blaine," he whispered, a grin slowly spreading on his lips again. He looked over at the boy and back over at the picture, which was resting proudly in the middle of Blaine's other work. "It's amazing."

"I figured it was time to share you with everyone," Blaine began explaining. His voice was still soft, almost sounding like a hum, not wanting to disturb the silence in the gallery too much. "I mean, I've got the real thing now, so I can handle being apart from that picture for a little while."

Kurt hummed happily, his smile still slightly shocked, but warm and full of life. "I love it," he said after a few moments of silence. "I really do. And I'm really glad you came after me."

Blaine ran his thumb along Kurt's jaw for just a moment before capturing his lips, the kiss full of every emotion he was feeling; a mix of joy, pride, and, though he didn't realize it yet, the beginnings of love. The two parted after a minute and simply stared at each other, letting the moment imprint itself on their memory. "I think we should get out of here," Blaine pointed out. "Let everyone else have a turn, yeah?"

Kurt bit his lip and nodded, his eyes bright from excitement and pure happiness. They began walking, taking one last look at the black and white photo in its new home, as Kurt draped his arm around his boyfriend's shoulder to bring him close.

"So, babe, how about dinner at that restaurant from our first date?"


End file.
